Urethane Foam Insulation Fire Hazard

As a result these types of fires provide some unique life firefighter property safety and fire suppression challenges.

Urethane foam insulation fire hazard.

Foam as a fire hazard. After all thermal insulation can and should continuously and completely envelop the buildings we occupy. In addition 15 of the components that comprise most spray on foams are fire retardant. When sprayed on the interior of a building with no covering such as shotcrete or drywall polyurethane foam can create a dangerous fire hazard.

For more information on urethane foam please review urethane foam. Nfpa 5000 building construction and safety code provides information on the use of foamed plastic in subsection 10. Fire rating spray on polyurethanes and fire rating with so many conflicting reports about spray on polyurethane insulation as a fire hazard it s time to set the record straight. Polyurethane foam including foam rubber is sometimes made using small amounts of blowing agents to give less dense foam better cushioning energy absorption or thermal insulation.

Polyurethane foam fires are known to produce very high heat release rates and extremely toxic fumes. Sprayed on urethane insulation i e foamed plastic is still popular in some areas and is used as an insulating material for ironclad metal buildings and in other types of construction such as wood frame. In the early 1990s because of their impact on ozone depletion the montreal protocol restricted the use of many chlorine containing blowing agents such as trichlorofluoromethane cfc 11. Spray on polyurethane insulation carries a fire rating of class 1.

Organic foam insulation regardless of whether the foam contains fire retardants should be considered combustible and handled accordingly. Reason foam fails 2 unacceptable fire hazard is it really too much to ask that our thermal insulation not be a fire accelerant. Precautions should be taken to minimize any potential for fire through accidental ignition in handling storage and use. Fire safety guidelines for use of rigid polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam insulation in building construction published by the urethane division the society of the plastics industry.

South with appendices by david vaughn.